Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles admitted "it doesn't look good" for Shaquil Barrett after he suffered a suspected torn Achilles in the team's 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The outside linebacker was injured during a Ravens running play in the third quarter on Thursday, and reports have suggested his season could be over after initial examinations.

Speaking after the Bucs suffered a fifth loss in their last six games, Bowles said of Barrett: "He has an Achilles right now, so we'll wait for the MRI, but it doesn't look good."

Any significant absence for the two-time Pro Bowler would represent a considerable blow for the Bucs, who were already coping with several injuries ahead of Thursday's game.

Barrett has led the team for sacks in two of the last three seasons, and has recorded eight sacks and 43 tackles in his eight starts this campaign.

With Tampa Bay slumping to a 3-5 record despite winning their first two games of the season, Bowles acknowledges things are "dark" for his team, but he remains confident they can change their fortunes.

"It's still dark; until you win ball games consistently and play for four quarters consistently it's going to be dark," he said.

"That doesn't mean we can't get out of it, we just have a lot of work to do as coaches and as players."

The Ravens looked to have suffered an injury blow of their own when tight end Mark Andrews was ruled out with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, while wide receiver Rashod Bateman also exited with a foot problem.

However, head coach John Harbaugh played down any concerns over the duo after the win, saying: "They are not serious.

"Rashod was a tweak of what he had before, and Mark is not a serious long-term injury."

The Baltimore Ravens' offense clicked into gear in the second half of their 27-16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night after only mustering three points in the first two quarters.

Baltimore grabbed an early lead just four minutes into the action, with their punt on the opening drive of the game bouncing off the chest of Buccaneers returner Dee Delaney to gift the Ravens a redzone opportunity.

The Buccaneers defense held, forcing a Justin Tucker field goal, and they took the lead just five minutes later when Leonard Fournette punched in a one-yard touchdown run to cap off a 75-yard drive.

A Tampa Bay field goal would give them a 10-3 lead at halftime, but the Baltimore offense would figure things out in the second half as a five-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Kenyan Drake tied the contest at 10-10.

After forcing a Buccaneers punt, the Ravens made it two touchdown drives in a row as Jackson was flushed out of the pocket and found rookie tight end Isaiah Likely along the back of the endzone in tight coverage.

They then made it three touchdown drives in a row when receiver Devin Duvernay was able to convert a third-and-one into a 15-yard touchdown run on a jet-sweep, widening the Ravens' lead to 24-13 with under seven minutes to play.

Tom Brady was able to lead the Buccaneers back into the redzone twice, and was rewarded with a consolation eight-yard touchdown pass to the returning Julio Jones with under a minute on the clock.

Neither quarterback ended up committing a turnover as Jackson completed 27 of his 38 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while Brady was 26-of-44 for 325 yards and one score.

After star Ravens tight end Mark Andrews left with an injury, Likely led the Ravens in catches (six) and receiving yards (77), while Mike Evans caught six balls for 123 yards to lead the Buccaneers.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a bye this week but the team is staying busy, acquiring wide receiver Kadarius Toney from the New York Giants.

The Chiefs sent a 2023 third-round pick and a sixth-round pick in next year's draft to the Giants to complete the trade.

Toney was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 draft by New York, but his career has been marred by injuries so far.

A hamstring issue has sidelined him since Week 2 this season, while oblique and shoulder injuries limited him to just 10 games as a rookie last year.

When healthy, however, the 23-year-old has proven to be a dangerous receiver and should provide Patrick Mahomes with another weapon at his disposal.

In 2021, he hauled in 39 receptions for 420 yards, averaging 6.1 yards after the catch. He has just two catches for zero yards this season.

The Chiefs next play on November 6 against the Tennessee Titans and it is still uncertain when Toney will be able to make his Kansas City debut due to his ailing hamstring.

When Toney does suit up, he will be joining a talented pass-catching corps with receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce.

Andy Dalton will retain the starting quarterback berth for the New Orleans Saints despite the return to practice of Jameis Winston, head coach Dennis Allen has confirmed.

Winston injured his back in the Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons and initially played through the pain barrier in the following two games.

He was eventually sidelined to allow him to recover, with Dalton, signed as a backup to Winston, starting under center after the Saints' attempts to bring in Deshaun Watson were unsuccessful.

Allen explained his reasoning for sticking with Dalton, telling reporters: "Andy's gonna get the start again this week [against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I feel like he's played well. Offensively, I feel like we're in a little bit of a rhythm. We've been moving the ball effectively, we've scored points. And so we're gonna continue down that road with Andy as the quarterback."

This season, Dalton has completed on 63.4 per cent of his passes for 946 yards and seven touchdowns, while he has been sacked four times and been intercepted four times.

Last time out against the Arizona Cardinals, a game the Saints lost, Dalton threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns but also conceded three interceptions – two of which were returned for touchdowns.

However, Allen said he was looking for offensive continuity in the coming weeks.

"What I mean by that is in the last four weeks, we're one of the top offenses in terms of moving the ball, we're one of the top offenses in terms of scoring points," he added.  "And that's really the name of the game. So, we're gonna continue doing what we've been doing.

"We've gotta do a better job of protecting the football. And if we do that, I think we can be highly effective offensively."

Allen said Dalton will keep his position over a fully fit Winston as long as the team remain coherent with the ball in hand.

"Well, look, Jameis is back healthy right now. We're gonna go with Andy as we sit here right now. And if we continue to play well offensively and move the ball offensively, Andy will stay in there," Allen said.

"There's a lot of things that we're doing really well offensively. And I didn't feel like there was any need to upset the apple cart there. We'll keep going how we are. And if we continue to do that, then we'll stay the course."

The Saints (2-5) sit bottom of the NFC South and will look to ignite life into their season against the Raiders on Sunday.

Mystery remains around the New England Patriots starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the New York Jets with head coach Bill Belichick refusing to declare his hand.

Mac Jones was benched after three series for backup Bailey Zappe in the Patriots' 33-14 home defeat to the Chicago Bears on Monday.

Belichick insisted that decision was not performance-based after the game, alluding to the fact Jones was returning in Week 7 following a three-game absence due to a high ankle sprain.

Jones was not listed on the Patriots' injury report this week, yet Belichick declined to elaborate on the situation on Wednesday ahead of practice.

"We'll see how it goes today," Belichick told reporters five times when asked about the QB situation.

Onlookers at Patriots practice on Wednesday claimed that Jones took the vast majority of first team reps in an indication he will start on Sunday.

Jones, who was taken with the 15th pick in last year's NFL Draft, has started four games this season, completing 67 of 103 attempts for 799 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions.

The second-year quarterback admitted that he had not been told by Belichick if he would start against the Jets but insisted he was fine with that.

"He's done a good job, been very open with me," Jones said. "I think that's all you can ask for, clear communication. Putting all the rat poison away and playing the best I can play and becoming the best quarterback I can be.

"Like I said, those are things that we want to work through as the week goes along. I don’t really care if they tell me or not, it's just important that I'm ready to go. Just as Zappe is ready to go.

"It's the same way every week, you want to prepare as a starter… I plan to start every game I've ever played in."

One day after he made comments critical of his teammates, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that nobody told him they had a problem with his assessment.

During his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Rodgers had harsh words for some teammates.

"Guys are making too many mistakes shouldn’t be playing, you know," he said. "Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren’t playing, give them a chance."

On Wednesday, Rodgers did not back down from those comments amid criticism of the message it sent within the camp.

"I don’t understand why people have a problem with things that are truthful," Rodgers said. "I’m calling things the way I see it. People don’t think I need to air that stuff out, that's their opinion. But I’m doing what I think is in the best interest of our guys, and I've tried a lot of different things from a leadership standpoint this year, and I was just relating my personal feeling on the situation.

"I didn’t call anybody out by name. I think we all need to be on the details, and that includes me."

Rodgers said his comments should not come as a surprise since it was nothing he has not shared behind closed doors inside team headquarters at Lambeau Field.

"If one of those guys has a problem with it, I'm right here, and I'd love to have a conversation," Rodgers said. "I enjoy those conversations. I enjoy any type of conflict like that because I know the resolution on the other side is going to make us a better unit, a better friendship, a better cohesion on the field."

Rodgers has also been criticised for making the feedback public rather than keeping it internal. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur did not have an issue with Rodgers’ approach.

"Sometimes the truth hurts," LaFleur said. "I don’t think he publicly called out individuals, I don’t believe, I didn’t sit there and listen to the whole thing, so I just think that you have to get to the root of the truth."

Rodgers and the Packers are heavy underdogs heading into Sunday's road matchup against the Buffalo Bills as they try to avoid the team's first four-game losing streak since 2016.

Matt Ryan has vowed to embrace his new backup role after the Indianapolis Colts opted to make Sam Ehlinger their starting quarterback.

The Colts are currently 3-3-1 for the campaign, and Ryan – a postseason acquisition from the Atlanta Falcons – has thrown a league-high nine interceptions. 

Ryan threw two interceptions – one of which was returned 76 yards for a touchdown – during the Colts' 19-10 loss to their AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

On Monday, head coach Frank Reich revealed the team's plan to make Ehlinger their starting QB for the rest of the season, and Ryan accepts that decision.

"It's not something I've dealt with [before], but I've been around a long time and seen that it happens," Ryan said.

"I've always preached that you've got to accept and embrace the role that they decide for you and try and be the best in that role that you can be. That's what I'll do.

"As a player, you just always anticipate, you're getting ready, you're going to go and so that's where your mindset's at. 

"There was a little bit of surprise and shock at the beginning, but it's a decision they had to make and, as a player, as a team-mate, you have to move forward and you've got to help out where you can."

Reich, meanwhile, has refuted the suggestion the decision to change quarterback means the Colts are giving up on the season. 

"I can tell you this for sure, nobody is waving the white flag," Reich said. "It's not in my DNA. It's not in our players' DNA. I would never do that in a million years. I just couldn't do that."

Ryan has completed 203 of 297 passes for 2,008 yards at a 68.4 per cent completion rate this season, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has also been sacked 24 times, tied for the second most in the NFL this season.

The Philadelphia Eagles have bolstered their defense by acquiring pass-rusher Robert Quinn from the Chicago Bears on Wednesday.

Quinn, who set a Bears franchise record for sacks in a single season last year with 18.5, leaves a rebuilding Chicago team and joins an Eagles team who are 6-0 with Super Bowl aspirations.

Philadelphia have the NFL's fourth-ranked scoring defence at 17.5 points per game and sent a fourth-round pick to Chicago for Quinn, whose 102 career sacks are tied with three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald for the sixth-most by an active player.

Quinn has one sack, three quarterback hurries and two tackles for loss in seven games this year, and although the 12-year veteran is not stuffing the stat sheet like he did in 2021, his inspired play on Monday helped the Bears upset the New England Patriots in a stunning 33-14 victory.

Despite the encouraging win, the 3-4 Bears have their eye on the future.

A first-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2011, the 32-year-old Quinn is under contract through 2024, with a base salary of $12.8million this year.

Quinn was in his third season with the Bears, and the Eagles will be his fifth team after spending 2018 with the Miami Dolphins and 2019 with the Dallas Cowboys.

There is no such thing as a sure thing in sport, and certainly not in fantasy football.

Every week, expected stars underperform while big-time contributors come out of nowhere.

But for this week's fantasy picks, Stats Perform has dug through the data to identify four offensive players and a defense that represent extremely strong bets for productive fantasy performances in Week 8.

If any of these selections disappoint, don't blame us!

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins @ Detroit Lions

The Lions defense finally showed some fight last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but they still represent a favourable matchup for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa.

Detroit's defense is allowing 7.33 yards per pass play, the most in the NFL, and the Dolphins are coming off an efficient performance on offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though they only scored 16 points in their Week 7 win, the Dolphins averaged 7.5 yards per pass play, and surely would have scored more points with better efficiency on third down, on which Miami went four of 14.

It was an encouraging return for Tagovailoa, who should find third-down joy much easier to come by against this porous Lions group. Back Tua and the Dolphins for an explosive showing in Week 8.

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

McCaffrey only had 10 touches in his 49er debut last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he averaged 6.2 yards on those touches, showing the burst and the vision that led San Francisco to trade much of their 2023 draft for the former All-Pro.

With a full week to get to grips with the playbook, McCaffrey will be an integral part of San Francisco's gameplan in a critical division matchup with the Rams.

The Rams have a top-10 run defense by yards per rush allowed (4.17), but this is less about matchup and more about opportunity. McCaffrey will get rushing opportunities and he will get targets against an opponent the 49ers have dominated in the regular season, winning the last seven meetings. Los Angeles will have designs on ending that streak, but the volume McCaffrey figures to receive makes him a must-start.

Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants

The matchup between the 6-1 Giants and the 4-3 Seahawks is one between two of the NFL's most surprising teams, and it promises to be a compelling one.

Though the Giants have given up only seven passing touchdowns this season, their defensive approach could play into the hands of the Seahawks.

In 2022, the Giants have blitzed 43.1 per cent of the time when defending the pass, according to Stats Perform data, well above the league average of 30.6 per cent.

When faced with five or more rushers or with a defensive back blitzing, Geno Smith has delivered a well-thrown ball on 85.7 per cent of attempts, the second-best among quarterbacks with at least 10 such passes.

In other words, he is excelling against the blitz and, with D.K. Metcalf out, Lockett will be a safety net who should be the beneficiary of a plethora of pass attempts.

Winning his matchup with a defender on 67.9 per cent of targets this season – the average is 61.7 for wide receivers with 25 or more targets – Lockett remains a supremely talented pass catcher who can take advantage of those opportunities and enjoy a huge fantasy day.

Tight End: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh defense is not the force it once was, especially without T.J. Watt. 

The Steelers are giving up 6.91 yards per pass play, the fifth-most in the league, and Goedert can capitalise on their vulnerability.

He has been targeted at least six times in four of his six games this season and has a big play rate of 34.8 per cent that is fifth-best among tight ends with at least 20 targets.

Goedert clearly has the trust of Jalen Hurts, with this matchup the perfect mix of opportunity and opponent for him to flourish and put up big fantasy points.

Defense/Special Teams: Buffalo Bills vs. Green Bay Packers

Starting a defense against Aaron Rodgers?! 

That's how far the Packers have fallen, and fantasy owners should have no hesitation in starting the Bills against Green Bay's dismal passing attack.

Rodgers' average depth of target this is season is just 6.4 yards, with Green Bay lacking the ability to test defenses downfield with any kind of consistency.

Only two teams have more takeaways than the Bills (13), and the Buffalo defense – which has allowed a successful offensive play just 38 per cent of the time; the average is 39.4 – has the formula to frustrate Rodgers once again.

The Bills lead the league with a pressure rate of 45.4 per cent but blitz on just 15.1 per cent of passing downs. Simply put, they consistently get pressure with four pass rushers, giving them the resources in the back seven to rally to the ball and limit the impact of the short passing game on which Rodgers is suddenly reliant.

Buffalo can stop the Packers gaining yards and have a proclivity for taking the ball away. It promises to be a painful game for Rodgers and a productive one for the Bills' defense and those who start it in fantasy.

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams could make his NFL debut in "at least probably another month," head coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday.

Williams, the 12th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee the former Alabama All-American suffered in the College Football Playoff national championship game in January.

ACL injuries typically involve a recovery process of up to a year.

"I do feel like we're gonna get him before it's all said and done," Campbell said.

The Lions (1-5) were not deterred by the injury as they traded up 20 spots with NFC North rival Minnesota to choose Williams.

The 21-year-old established himself as an elite prospect during his lone season at Alabama, becoming one of college football's most explosive receivers after transferring from Ohio State.

His 15 touchdown receptions in 2021 tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and he led the Crimson Tide with 1,572 receiving yards on 79 catches.

Nine of Williams' 15 touchdown catches were from 40 or more yards, tops in the FBS last season, while his 11 receptions of 40 or more yards tied for second among major college players.

Russell Wilson appears likely to return from his injury layoff when the Denver Broncos face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday.

The quarterback suffered a hamstring injury in the Broncos' 19-16 overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, causing him to sit out Sunday's 16-9 loss to the New York Jets.

The Broncos will look to improve on their poor 2-5 start to the season at Wembley Stadium, and should be boosted by the presence of their first-choice QB.

On Wednesday, head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters Wilson had done "quite a bit" in practice, and the former Seattle Seahawks man later added: "I feel great, I'm ready to rock".

Wilson's trade to Denver has not worked out as intended thus far, with the nine-time Pro Bowl QB completing just 58.6 per cent of his passes since landing a five-year, $245million contract in March.

However, he remains confident in his and the Broncos' ability to turn around their fortunes. 

"As hard as it has been, and it hasn't been exactly what we wanted it to be, storms don't always last," Wilson added. 

"This one's not going to last, because we're going to work our tails off and work through it. We're going to try to be the best we can possibly be."

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald cut his ties with brand management agency Donda Sports amid further condemnation for its owner Kanye West.

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year signed with the company following victory at Super Bowl LVI in February, alongside Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown.

But both men have now left the organisation amid further derogatory and antisemitic comments by its musician and businessmen founder, who is now known as Ye.

"We felt a responsibility to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we must do better as human beings," Donald said via a statement issued alongside his wife Erica.

"We do not feel our beliefs, voices and actions belong anywhere near a space that misrepresents and oppresses people of any background, ethnicity or race."

Ye saw his ties severed with apparel giant Adidas on Tuesday, having held a near-decade-long lucrative sportswear partnership with the German brand.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark has been handed a two-game suspension, the NFL announced on Tuesday, after the three-time Pro Bowl selection pled no contest to two misdemeanour weapons charges from 2021.  

The news came as the Chiefs begin their bye week, so Clark will miss home games against the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars and will be eligible to return on November 20 against the Los Angeles Chargers.  

One charge originated from a March 2021 traffic stop in Los Angeles, when Clark was a passenger in a car with no licence plate. An officer recovered two loaded weapons from that stop.  

Three months later, officers discovered another weapon in Clark's vehicle during another traffic stop.  

Clark pled no contest to two counts of misdemeanour possession of an assault weapon in California and was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service.  

The 29-year-old pass rusher has been limited this season by illnesses, holding him to 15 tackles and three sacks in seven games.  

Clark has 21.5 sacks since joining the Chiefs in 2019. During Kansas City's postseason run to the 2019 Super Bowl title, he had five sacks in three games.  

The Chiefs reworked Clark’s contract last offseason to keep him on a defense that ranked 29th with 31 sacks in 2021.  

Kansas City has 19 sacks this season, tied for seventh in the NFL, led by Chris Jones' five.  

Mac Jones' benching in the New England Patriots' 33-14 home defeat to the Chicago Bears was not performance-based, head coach Bill Belichick insists.

It was not the return from a high ankle sprain Jones would have anticipated, with the starting quarterback playing only the first three series and recording a sixth interception of the season.

A disgruntled home crowd started calling for Jones' backup Bailey Zappe, who entered the fray in the second quarter.

The Pats made a couple of quick touchdowns but fizzled out from there as Justin Fields led the Bears to 23 unanswered points and left both teams at 3-4 for the season.

Speaking to the media after the game, Belichick said the plan was always to use both quarterbacks and Jones did not re-enter the field as the game was getting away from the Patriots.

"That's [benching Jones after the interception] not what it was, but you can write whatever you want to write. That's not what it was," Belichick said.

"We had planned to play – I told the quarterbacks that we were going to play both of them, and that's what we did.

"We went through the week of practice. Mac was inactive last week. [Jones] would have gone back in. The score got out of hand. I didn't think that was the right thing to do."

Pushed on whether Jones had enough game time to have the confidence to face the New York Jets next week, a curt Belichick replied "I don't know" and said "I don't see that" when it was suggested he could switch up his quarterbacks week to week.

Belichick also confirmed the thinking to play both quarterbacks was related to Jones' ankle injury but that was not a factor at the time he was pulled from the field.

The stats did not make for kind reading, with Jones going 3-of-6 for 13 yards and the pick. Zappe was 14-of-22 for 185 yards, including a touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble.

For Jones' part, the chants for Zappe are not something playing on his mind and he is focused just on improving his own performance.

" I just have to do better at my job, and that's all it comes down to. That's all I can control," he said.

"Honestly, we've got a good chance here to go against the Jets, and that's what I'm focused on. I'm going to do my best to put my best foot forward. 

"I've been in this situation before, and just going to try to help the team. Whatever my role is, I'll be ready, and I'll give it 100 per cent."

Asked if he was surprised by the timing of Belichick's decision, he added: "I think coach Belichick had a really good plan for us. 

"Obviously, that's kind of internal stuff, but I understood the plan and what was going to happen. I wish we got off to a better start, and I played a little bit better, but I'll have a chance to practice and get back into my routine. 

"Something that I want to work on is getting back in my routine. I'm a very routine person, and I'm excited for this week. That's all you can do, right? 

"You can't really look back in the past. The game wasn't good by any of us, and that starts with me."

The Chicago Bears ran the ball for 243 yards in their dominant 33-14 win against the New England Patriots on Monday night.

Four Bears rushed for at least 29 yards on the night, with receiver Dante Pettis taking a jet-sweep 29 yards on his only carry, while quarterback Justin Fields rushed 14 times for 82 yards, and running backs David Montgomery (15 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown) and Khalil Herbert (12 carries for 62 yards) both received strong workloads.

Their 243 yards on the ground are the third most this season by any team in a single game, trailing only the New York Giants (262 yards) against the Bears in Week 4, and the Bears themselves (282 yards) in their Week 3 win against the Houston Texans.

Fields ran in for a three-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give the Bears a 10-0 lead after returning Patriots quarterback Mac Jones struggled, and when he was pulled to begin the second quarter, rookie Bailey Zappe seemed to win the starting job.

Zappe led two quick touchdown drives – culminating in a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers and a four-yard Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run – to put the Patriots up 14-10 with six minutes remaining in the first half, but they would not score the rest of the game.

The Bears continued to have success, with Khalil Herbert taking a screen pass 25 yards into the endzone for Fields' only passing touchdown of the night, and Montgomery rammed in the last score of the game in the fourth quarter from the one-yard line.

Fields completed 13 of his 21 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while defensively, Bears linebacker Roquan Smith finished with a sack and an interception.

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